Cheer Up Charlies
City Hall Should Be Available for the People
RECEIVED Wed., Jan. 3, 2007
Dear Austin citizens,
I am writing to encourage your interest and action in confronting Austin's waning customs of participatory democracy.
Citizens are not allowed to use their own City Hall. Before the old City Hall was closed in the year 2000, it was quite common for average citizens to use City Hall chambers and meeting rooms for all manner of reasons when the building was not used for city business.
City Council candidates would gather their constituents in chambers to give their announcement speeches. Citizens would hold press conferences and forums related to city affairs on a weekly and even daily basis. Channel 6 would often tape these and rebroadcast them along with their other programming. But when the new City Hall was opened, this custom mysteriously vanished.
When I realized what had happened last spring, I began protesting this anti-citizen policy. City Council members were not even aware that the policy had changed. Enough questions were raised for the City Council to delegate the matter to the Austin Community Technology and Telecommunications Commission for review.
The commission will be holding a hearing on this issue Wed., Jan. 10, after they convene at 7:30pm in the City Hall Boards and Commissions Room. I am asking you to join me in recommending that this beautiful building funded by Austin citizens be given back to us for our use when it does not conflict with city business.
I analyzed use of City Council chambers during business hours between January and March of 2006. I found that city business took place only 32% of the time, and this included City Council and Planning Commission meetings.
If enough advocates can show a presence, we can have an impact on changing this restrictive policy. Please try to attend and help to reclaim our right to use our own seat of government.
I am writing to encourage your interest and action in confronting Austin's waning customs of participatory democracy.
Citizens are not allowed to use their own City Hall. Before the old City Hall was closed in the year 2000, it was quite common for average citizens to use City Hall chambers and meeting rooms for all manner of reasons when the building was not used for city business.
City Council candidates would gather their constituents in chambers to give their announcement speeches. Citizens would hold press conferences and forums related to city affairs on a weekly and even daily basis. Channel 6 would often tape these and rebroadcast them along with their other programming. But when the new City Hall was opened, this custom mysteriously vanished.
When I realized what had happened last spring, I began protesting this anti-citizen policy. City Council members were not even aware that the policy had changed. Enough questions were raised for the City Council to delegate the matter to the Austin Community Technology and Telecommunications Commission for review.
The commission will be holding a hearing on this issue Wed., Jan. 10, after they convene at 7:30pm in the City Hall Boards and Commissions Room. I am asking you to join me in recommending that this beautiful building funded by Austin citizens be given back to us for our use when it does not conflict with city business.
I analyzed use of City Council chambers during business hours between January and March of 2006. I found that city business took place only 32% of the time, and this included City Council and Planning Commission meetings.
If enough advocates can show a presence, we can have an impact on changing this restrictive policy. Please try to attend and help to reclaim our right to use our own seat of government.
Sincerely,
Paul Robbins
Paul Robbins
